Chapter 2
Two figures can be seen running across the forest, one of them is a blonde haired female while the other is a white haired one. Entering a clearing, both of them stopped to survey the area. Seeing that there are no present danger to be seen they both relaxed. Turning around, the blonde haired female looked at her female companion.
"My lady, are you alright?" She asked, worry evident in her tone.
"I'm fine Eris. I just need to take a moment." Her white haired companion replied.
"Of course" the woman addressed as Eris bowed her head.
"Do you think she's alright?"
Eris looked up before replying hesitantly, "I…do not know, My lady." Feeling ashamed that she cannot ease her lady's worries, seeing how much it bothers her.
Silence descended as they both recalled what happened to the village.
"This is all my fault." The white haired girl suddenly said, regret and deep sorrow can be heard at the girl's tone.
"I—" Eris was about to protest but was cut off when the girl faced her, tears falling in her face.
"No! if it wasn't for me the village would not be attacked. Everyone would still be..." trailing off the girl did not dare finish what she was about to say.
"Please calm yourself, My lady. You should stop blaming yourself for things that are out of your control. What would Lady Victoria say?"
With a shaky laugh the girl said while wiping her tears, "You're right, mother would scold me if she sees me right know. She would rant about how improper I am being and that I should act like a lady. She would even scold me for not controlling my emotions better."
Silence once again filled the both of them as they stood and recalled how they were forced to sit and listen to many of her mother's lectures, scolding them about the mischief they caused and how it was not sneaky enough, making the both of them laugh with her mother joining them. Finally getting a hold of her emotions, the girl sighed.
Suddenly they both stilled and took off running when they heard sounds of footsteps approaching them a miles away.
The chase went on until they managed to lose the one pursuing them. After awhile of running in order to make sure that they completely lost their pursuer, they both slowed down.
Eris looked at her young lady who was surveying the surroundings and resolved to make sure to protect her mistress as much as she can. To her, protecting the young lady is more than a task. She made it her duty to shield her from harm just as Lady Victoria did and give the best she can the moment that the young lady pulled her from that place and showed her something she thought does not exist. Love and a Home.
Deep in thought Eris did not see the white haired girl she referred to as young lady approach her. The girl looked at her curiously and tilted her head to the side.
Looking down, Eris finally noticed how her young lady is innocently looking at her.
Smiling, 'Yes, I would definitely protect her,' Eris thought, 'especially that innocence.' which is what the woman can see that made her lady different from others of her kind, with that in mind, Eris focused her attention back to her young lady.
"Yes?"Eris inquired, "Is there anything you needed, My Lady?"
The lady in question blinked at her slowly before answering her, "You've been quiet for awhile, I was just wondering what you were thinking."
"There is no need to concern yourself, My Lady"
The girl frowned, "You always say that." Before looking down, "I was just worried."
"I am glad that you worry for me, My Lady. But as I am your servant, it is my job to take away your worries so that you wouldn't be burdened by it." Eris said with a bow to her waist.
Turning her head away, the girl said to herself, "But you're more than a servant." Which Eris caught, making the woman smile secretly to herself.
After a while of silence, the white haired girl finally said, "I found a cave hidden slightly by the bushes, I think it would be safe to hide in there for now"
Eris thought and decided that it would be alright if they both hid for the night and replied with, "Yes, I think that would be best."
With that, the both of them headed for the cave and entered warily just in case something was residing inside it. When they both finished inspecting it they both settled in the ground and prepare for the night.
"This cave is bigger than I thought" The girl said, starting a conversion to fill the night and calm the restlessness she felt.
For some reason, there was something not seating right with her and that bothered her, making her nervous but she ignored that feeling thinking that it was only because of the events that happened so far that made her more fidgety and her senses alert. Going back to the conversation at hand, she listened to Eris.
"—seems to have more room inside the cave, but I think that it is wise not to venture too deep inside for now." She heard Eris saying.
The girl nodded, then stood up and settled herself besides Eris and laid on the older woman's lap.
Looking down on her lap, Eris offered to the girl, " You should feed, My lady. We need you to be awake and ready if something happens."
The girl only shook her head and said, "You need your strength too Eris."
Eris was about to protest but stopped when she how the young girl was staring at her intently, clearly showing that she would not allow it.
With a sigh, Eris tried again, "How about you feed from me? But!" the woman interrupted before the girl could protest and added, "Enough for you to restore some of your energy yet not enough to drain me."
The girl seemed to think for a moment, most likely weighing her options, and decided with a nod showing that she agreed.
"Alright"
Eris moved into a lying position in order to get comfortable because she knows that the girl won't be feeding from her directly, so most likely she would just absorb her energy.
When that was done, the girl half laid on top of Eris and listened to the woman's heartbeat while at the same time draining her.
"Your warm." The girl said in a sleepy manner and yawned while still listening to the familiar rythmic heartbeat of the woman.
The woman only hummed in response and waited for the girl to completely fall asleep as she contemplated about today and more importantly what would would happen to her young lady now.
The sound of water dripping from deep inside the cave and her lady's soft breathing slowly lulling her to sleep.
The white haired girl was woken from her sleep when she felt someone lightly shaking her. When she opened her eyes, she saw the blonde woman hovering over her with panic evident in her features. Confused, she was about to say something when the woman suddenly clamped her hands on the girl's face and put her fingers in her lips making a shushing motion indicating that she be quiet.
Eris leaned forward to the girl and quietly whispered, "They're here." And gestured to go deeper into the cave.
With a nod, showing that she understood, they both set to move and went further into the inner part of the cave.
When they reached the center of the cave, they were awed by the many crystals that filled the walls of the cave and how it reflected the light coming from a small crevice above the ceiling making the place enchanting and magical.
In the middle, they can see a pool of water, which only added to the ambience of the place. Their stunned silence lasted for a few minutes. When they finally both came out of their stupor, they walked further to approach the pool of water.
"It's beautiful." The girl breathe out. "I've never seen anything like this." then she kneeled to touch the water.
"Yes, neither have I." the woman only managed to say, still quite taken by the place. After a few moments she shook her head and looked at the girl. She had a plan and in order for it to work she had to act now or all would be too late for her lady. Mind already made up, she steeled herself.
When she opened her mouth to inform the girl of her plan, she stopped when she saw that the girl is looking at her with something akin to sadness.
Feeling guilty she tried to say, "Your Lady I—" but the girl raised her hand to stop her from continuing.
"I know. You don't have to explain yourself Eris. If what you think is the only way, then you should do it. But I want you to stop putting me first before yourself."
"I'm sorry, but that is something that I cannot do for that is what I am made and here for. To serve and to follow you." Eris replied.
"But to me you are more than just a servant... You are my friend and will always be."
"I'm happy that you think of me that way but this is something that I have resolved to do the moment I pledged myself to you." The woman said as she bowed to her waist.
The girl only smiled at her sadly and said, "I know, but will you at least be careful? For me?"
"I will try, but I make no promises, My Lady" Eris gave in.
The girl smiled slightly and said, "That's good enough for me."
"Alright, let's get started shall we?"
In the middle of the cave near the pool, two people can be seen.
One was a white haired girl and the other was a blonde woman.
The blonde woman went and kneeled in front of the pool, then putting her hands together, she chanted a spell.
The pool then glowed brightly, indicating that the spell worked before returning into it's former state. After that was done the woman got up and walked back to the girl.
"The preparations are done, My lady."
The white haired girl looked at the pool and asked, "Are you sure this is going to work?"
"Of course." Eris confirmed with a nod, "The spell I casted will put you into slumber when you step inside the pool."
The blonde woman looked at the girl before her, who seems to be having second thoughts. She knows that her lady is scared, although she tried to hide it, but she would not be the girl's companion for this long if it wasn't for her ability to easily read her and pick up her slight emotional outbursts which is very crucial if she wanted to prevent her death and those around her.
Reaching for the girl to calm her, "It's alright Catriona," Eris reassured the girl, "I promise that nothing will happen to you as long as I am here."
Catriona looked at the woman seriously. Eris never called her by her name and the few times she did it's either she was serious or upset with her. With that, Catriona slowly calmed down and her eyes filled with resolve, so unlike her previous countenance.
Satisfied, Eris turned to gesture at the pool, "Now, My lady we should not waste time and start now, before they find this place and it would all be too late. It will be a matter of time before they notice the wards I placed around the area which is meant to divert them and temporarily hide this place."
The girl nodded and hugged the woman suddenly, which took Eris by surprise, before moving towards the pool hurriedly. Then, placing a foot inside to test the temperature until she was adjusted enough, she completely stepped inside the pool.
Walking further until it was neck deep, she turned to Eris and said, "I'm ready."
Eris, having recovered from her surprise, looked at the girl with fondness and nodded, "Alright, I will be finishing the spell."
The woman clasped her hands together in front of her, just as she did before, then chanted, to cast the last part of the spell.
The pool glowed again and the light slowly engulfed the girl, completely encasing her. The light grew brighter and brighter until Eris was forced to cover her eyes, the brightness blinding her, before it abruptly disappeared leaving the cave in total darkness as if a black hole had sucked all the light away. After a few moments, the light normally returned to the place as if nothing happened.
The abrupt change nearly made the woman go blind. Blinking her eyes a few times to adjust, she took in her surroundings. When she looked at the pool, she saw that in the middle, there lay a large crystal-like ice and inside it is the white haired girl, sleeping.
Having done her job, she let herself fall to the ground in exhaustion. Beads of sweat can be seen in her face as she tried to catch her breath. The spell taking a toll on her. In the silence of the cave, she finally let herself silently mourn.
Lady Victoria, The Village... And Catriona.
She knows that there is only a small chance that she would see the girl again in this time, maybe in a few hundred years or so, if she survived that is.
After a while she tiredly got up, and dragged herself out of the cave. Giving the now sleeping girl a last look filled with sadness and longing, she left.
She still has one more thing to do...
A/N:
Whew!
So how was it? Any comments? Reviews? Or... violent reactions? XD
By the way, I want to thank all those who followed and faved this story. I appreciate it, really:) It did motivate me to finish this chapter quickly. So again, thanks!